Overview & Reviews

For years people associated Lexus with quiet, refined and luxurious automobiles backed by a competitive pricing strategy. "Sporty," however, was far from anyone's mind. Then, in 2001, the Lexus IS 300 sport sedan came along and toppled that image. Lexus wanted this one to be an extrovert and an athlete. With every throttle input and every turn of the steering wheel, this compact, rear-wheel-drive sedan sought to communicate with its driver. With its firmly tuned suspension and sticky high-performance tires, it had the running gear to back up those aspirations.

It also had the styling. One look at its wedge shape, clear-lens taillights and dramatic color palette, and it was obvious this sedan was intended for a younger, more trend-conscious buyer than other Lexus models. A sport wagon version called the IS 300 SportCross was added for 2002, and although it offered a little more utility, outward aesthetics still took precedence over function.

Inside, the compact Lexus IS 300 looked and felt different, too, thanks to its racy watch-dial-style instrumentation, drilled aluminum pedals and chrome shifter ball. By no means was this an elegant cabin, though. Hard plastic covered the dash and console, and feature content never quite measured up to the standards of the class. This half-hearted approach to luxury was the major criticism leveled against the IS 300 during its five-year run.

Although imperfect, the Lexus IS 300 and IS 300 SportCross did get the attention of younger, more performance-minded consumers, which set the stage for their carefully executed successors, the IS 250 and IS 350.

Most recent Lexus IS 300

Based on the Japanese-market Toyota Altezza, the Lexus IS 300 was not originally designed to be a luxury car. When the automaker decided to sell a version of this compact, rear-drive sedan in the U.S., it was retrofitted with additional luxury content and a larger engine -- the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder already used in the midsize Lexus GS 300 sedan.

This 3.0-liter six was capable of 215 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque, and paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. Although this drivetrain propelled the IS 300 to 60 mph in the low 7-second range, a small but vocal niche of consumers and automotive writers cried foul when Lexus initially failed to offer a manual transmission. The company rectified this oversight in 2002, adding a five-speed manual gearbox option for the sedan. The IS 300 SportCross wagon, which also debuted for '02, was automatic only.

In road tests of the Lexus IS 300 sedan and wagon, our editors noted that their stiff body structures allowed Lexus to tune their double-wishbone suspensions for sharp handling without making the ride too stiff for commuters. "But the IS 300 is a car that needs to be exercised regularly," we wrote at the time. "Well balanced due to its rear-wheel-drive layout, it's an easy car to pilot aggressively, thanks to the responsive steering and braking, nimble size, excellent driving position and 3,280-pound curb weight. The steering isn't quite as precise as a BMW's, but it's close. Very close."

Inside, the IS 300's not-so-upscale cabin was snug, even by the indulgent standards of the premium compact car class. Tight legroom and narrow footwells made it difficult for adults to get comfortable in back, and storage space was minimal. Of the two body styles, the SportCross wagon was the more practical choice, thanks to its 21.8-cubic-foot cargo bay.

Past Lexus IS 300 Models

As a used car choice, the IS 300 makes a lot of sense. Sold from 2001-'05, it hasn't held its value as well as competitors like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but it offers equal or better performance in most areas. Build quality was always above average on the IS, and reliability is consistent with Toyota's typically strong reputation.

First-year Lexus IS 300 sedans were light on content, so it might be a good idea to confine your search to 2002 and newer models. Side curtain airbags, stability control, auto-dimming mirrors and a center armrest were all added to the standard equipment list for '02, while full leather seating and a navigation system became optional. Notably, stability control was only available on models with the automatic transmission. Changes were minimal in the years following.

Despite all the fuss the enthusiast crowd made about the manual-transmission option, manual-shift IS 300 sedans are rare commodities on the used car market, as the vast majority were sold with automatics.

User Reviews:

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  LITTLE Lexus ...with loads of attitude - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By farhaan - June 22 - 10:00 am

  the car is smooth..no problems so far with my car dealership is the best in town..helps a lot.Drives smoother than a bmw or an audi ..i own a 2003 bmw 325i but IS is lot better than it because of it luxuriousnes and ride

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  MY VIEW ON IS300 - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By Glenn Sussman - June 17 - 11:46 am

  EXCELLANT CAR, WELL EXECUTED INSIDE AND OUT

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  IS 3 - 2001 Lexus IS 300
  By EPGuy - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR!

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  This is the best car in the world - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By Lexus IS300 Sports C - May 22 - 7:00 am

  The Lexus Sport Hatchback is the greatest car for me. I carry children around in it, its very safe. And if Im driving a long distance the gas saved by not driving a huge monster oversized van or truck-type vehicle is enormous. Plus, this car is so much fun to drive. Im usually the first to volunteer to drive anywhere because it is such fun and very comfortable. The sound system is wonderful as well. I cant say enough about this fabulous car. It has it all.

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  Just got it - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By admanc - May 7 - 10:46 pm

  I test drove the 2004 IS300 against a beautiful 2004 BMW 328ci (that I really wanted to love and buy). After driving both cars, I realized the IS300 was the much better car across the boards. Mechanically, the Lexus ran smooth and sound, with a lot more get-up and go. The BMW was sluggish and seemed to hesitate a lot more, with some choppy shifting between gears. I had been told by many people that the BMW would have more problems than the Lexus and in test-driving both, I had to concede that they were right. I bought the Lexus.

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  One fine automobile - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By LCDR - May 2 - 2:00 am

  A fine touring automobile. The DVD navigation system and excellent sound system made a recent trip a pleasure. Excellent acceleration and handling. I am very pleased with this car.

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  Perfect city car. - 2003 Lexus IS 300
  By jsu888 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  Im probably the least likely buyer for this car. My last car was a BMW 7 series. I just got tired of all the repairs required by the German cars. This year alone I spent over $10K on over 7 trips to Dinan on everything from leaking transmission oil gasket to air conditioner rebuild. Im returning to Japanese models. I wanted something small for San Francisco and with navigation system. Not too many to choose from. I evaluated Mercedes C230, Toyota Prius, BMW 3 series. This is the only one with DVD navigation system. That means only one disk is required for the entire North American continent, and about $6K less than a comparably equipped BMW 325.

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  Excellent all around Sports Sedan - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By ACLC - April 26 - 12:16 am

  I wanted a car that was fun to drive and was different than any other car on the road. The IS was the answer to both of my needs. Its smooth shifting 3.0L 6cyl engine is responsive and the E-shift comes in handy for highway passing. DONT drive this car if you are someone who likes to blend in with the crowd...this car is a POSITIVE attention getter!!!

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  I like it more today than when I bought - 2002 Lexus IS 300
  By griffmac - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! This car doesnt get the respect it deserves from auto journalists - its like they didnt want to belive Lexus could build such a great sports sedan on its first try. I have several 3-series in my family and this car is more communicative and fun to drive than any of them (even the 330i w/sport package). When you compare this to the 325i (same price), I cant give the nod to BMW in any area other than maybe the dash design.

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  sweet ride - 2004 Lexus IS 300
  By wakler - April 3 - 2:00 am

  This is a beautiful piece of machinery. The car is suprisingly very quick but then again did we expect anything less. The car does surpise of few people when they see that its a wagon. Body style is perfect.